Speed mechanism.



No. 881,122. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908. F. H. HODG-KINS.

SPEED MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21. 1905.

3 SHEETS$HEET 1.

No. 881,122. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908. F. H. HDDGKINS.

SPEED MECHANISM. APPLIOATIONIILED AUG. 21. 1905. v

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908. F. E. HGBH-KINS. 7 SPEED MBGEANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

v ,l/zeP/afan %M FREDERICK H. HODGKINS, OF CHIFAGO, ILLI T,

SPEED I1 IECHANZSM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.

hpplicai =1 filed August 21, 1905. Serial No. 275,035.

cZZ whom it concern:

it known that I, FREDERICK H. Hono- KENS, a. citizen of the Unitcd State-s, residing otilhicago, in the count of (look and State of illinois, have invents new and useful Improveincnts in Spccd lifechonisins, of whichv tho following is a specification.

This invention relates to speed mechanisnis and its object is to provide a mechanism of simple and incxpcnsive construction which is fi-(illpliilf li for various purposes and which may be constructed to impart forward and reverse inovcmont with or without 2i changeable spccd in ouch niovvmcnt.

in the accompanying draw-wings l have shown tho invcniion embodied in several forms and rcfcrring thcrcto Figure l is sectional VlLW illustrating the invention in a. form providing changeable speed. Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is u. sectional View on the lino 3 -1; of Fig. i. Fig. l is a detail View. F :3 is a scctionzil view on the line 55 of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a sectional visw on the line o l; of Fir. 5. '7 is sectional vicw showing another cmbodimont of the invention. Fig. 8 is o sectional View on the line (l- 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is sectional View on. the lino 99 fig. 7.

Referring to Sheet 1 of the drawings 10 is a slidablc shaft located within at hollow shaft 11 which is journalcd in bearings 12 of asuitable character. A friction nicmber 1331s slidably mounted on the hollow shaft and locked to the slidziblc shaft 10 by at key 14 which passes through a slot 15 in the hollow shaft. Driving members 16 are mountcd on the holiow shaft at such c'nd of the friction member, one driving nicinber being employed for for ward movement and tho olhcr for reverse. nizwcincnt. in this construction the driving members :Ll'il in the form of disks provided with tl r0 conccntric sols of gour t oth forming. in cll'cct, goals 17, 17, l7 'lhc friction monibor has its cnds bcvclcd at 35 to nukc frictional ongzigcmcnt with the souls '28 on. tho driving mcnibors and tho friction mciuhcr contcrcd rchitivo to the driving mop Bcrs by springs 19 locotcd on tho hollow ift hotwccn the hub 13 of the friction member and thohubs 16 of tho drivingi members. The driving members are driven by one of the driving pinions '20, '20, 20" which are arranged in constant engageinont with the gears 17, i7, 17", respc'c' tivcly, of the driving members. Those p in' ions are loosely mounted on the hollow driving shaft 21 and they are adapted to be scplow sliaft 21 and a pin 26 passes transversely through said rod and projccts through slots 27 in the hollow shaft. The rod is adjusted by means of an operating handle 28 which is provided with a yoke 29 at its lower end (Fig. 2) which carries a channeled collar 30 encircling. the hollow shaft over the pin 26, the latter being adapted to revolve within the channel of said collar.

The handle 28 is operated to move the key 22 forward into locking engagement with one. or the other of the pinions, the pinion 20 producing a low speed. 20 an intermediate speed and 20 a high speed. in projecting the key forward into locking engagement with the high speed pinion 20" it will first ha e to pass through the. pinions 20, 20 and to facilitate the movement of the key in both directions through the pinions I prefer to bevel the key reverse-1y on its front and. rear faces 22 (Fig. 4) and also to provide cairn foccs 31 on both ends of the hub of each pinion. (Fig.3). These cam faces zireloczited on opposite sides of the slot 24, the high point of one coin being opposite the low point of the other cam. All of the inions are constantly revolving with the riving shaft 21 and therefore, when the key 22 is forced into engagement with the cams 31 on the pinion 20, for example, the speed of that pinion will be actuated to that of the shaft until the slot 24 in the pinion has come into register with the key, whereupon the key will enter the slot and make locking engagemcnt with the pinion. The construction of the kcy and the cams on the pinion's facilitate. the movement of the. koy so that tho koy may be movcd from the high speed pinion 20 to the low speed pinion 20 without any nmtoriul interruption while. passing through the into!- modiotc pinion Bl).

This niccluuiisni may bo utilized to drive tho roar tLXlt of on automobile by mounting hovclcd gears 32 on-thc ends of the hollow shaft l'lto drive bcvclcd gears 33 on the flexible shafts 34 mounted in suitable bcorings 35 and geared to the roar axis (not shown The frict on member 13 1S scljustecl by a lever36 which is adapted to movs preferably provided to engage the friction member and this device is shown in Figs. 7 and 9 and will be described hereafter.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown another appiication of the invention in which forward and reverse movements are provided for. In this construction a friction member 38 is mounted on a hollow shaft 39 and locked to .the shaft 40 b a key 38 as heretofore'described. The driving members 4] are mount ed on the hollow shaft and each provided with a set of gear teeth to form gears 42 with which meshes the pinion 43 on driving shaft 44. The friction member carries a gear 45 with which meshes a pinion 46 on the driving shaft 4?. The shaft 40 is adjusted to carry the friction member into frictional engagement with one or the other of the driving members 41 by means of a lever 48 connected therewith, this lever and its connections being more particularly shown in Figs. 7 to 9 and hereafter described. I have not shown and described the means for adjusting the shaft 10 in Fi 1 and the shaft 40 in Fig. 5 in detail as it will be understood that this adjustment can be effected by means of any suitable character which will largely be determined by the useto which the mechanism is put.

In Figs. 7 to 9 I have shown my invention embodied in a simple form and adapted for reciprocating a table or platform. In this construction the friction member 49 'is mounted on a hollow shaft 50 and locked by a key 51 to the slidablc shaft 52 within the hollow shaft. The driving members 53 in this construction are belt pulleys and they are mounted on the hollow shaft 50. The hollow shaft and the shaft'54 are mounted in yielding bearing blocks 55 on a support 56 and the hollow: shaft carries a pinion 57-which meshes with a gear 58 onthe shaft 54. The gear 58 meshes with a rack 59 on a table 60. A spring 61 on the shaft 52 operates to center the friction member 49 between the drivingmembers 53. A stop 62 can be suspended from the table to be engaged by a disk 63 on the end of the shaft 52 to adjust the'shaft in the hollow shaft and move the friction member into engagement with one or the other of the driving members. Forthis purpose the stop may be provided with an inclined edge 64 which is engaged by the disk at the limit of the movement of the table in one direction, this inclined edge being shaped to move the disk and the shaft 52 so that the friction member 49 will be carried out of engagement with one friction disk and into engagement with the other friction disk to reverse the movement of the mechanism and the table. The shaft 52 is adjusted by a lever 65, the upper end o which is connected with one arm of a bell crank 66 pivoted at 67 on a bracket 68,,the other end of said bell.

crank being made in the form of a yoke 69.

This yoke carries a collar 70 which is made in two parts, each part being connected to an arm. of the yoke by a pin 71 (Fig. 9), and the collar is arrangedjin' the channel 72 of a sleeve 73. This sleeve forms part of a ball bearing on the end of the shaft 52, the cones 7 4 being screwed into place on the threaded end 75 of said shaft and the balls 76 arranged between said cones and the sleeve. 77 holds the bearing in place on. the shaft.

A brake shoe 78 is normally pressed into engagement with the friction member 49 by a s ring 7 9 on a post 80 and this post is provi' ed at its lower end with a cross bar 81 (Fig. 8). A rocking lever 82 is supported inthe bracket 68 and swiveled at one end to a collar 83 on the rod 65. The other end of this rocking lever is provided with a yoke 84' the arms of which extend on opposite sides of the post 80 and bear upon the ends of the cross bar 81. -When the rod 65 is operated to throw the friction member into engagement with. one of the driving members the lever 82 will be rocked and one arm of the yoke 84;. will bear upon one end of the cross bar Bland release the brake shoe from en gagement with the friction member; when the lever is operated to throw the friction member into engagement with the other driving member the shaft 82 will be rocked.

to cause the other arm of the yoke to engage the other arm of the crossbar for the same purpose;

The mechanism herein described can be used for many different purposes, being varied in details of construction to suit the particular applications. In the drawingsl have shown the invention embodied first in a variable speed and reversing mechanism, second, in a reversing mechanism embodying gears and pinions and third, in a reversing mechanism in which the parts are operatedby frici tional engagement, and whlle the several mechanisms vary more or less as details of construction it will be observed that they all embody the same essential elements combined and arranged for accomplishing the improved results of the invention.

The mechanism is comparatively simple in its -construction and operation and the embodiment illustrated on Sheet 1 will be found of special valuefor automobiles as it is strong and substantial in construction and enables a quick change from one speed to another forward or reverse.

Y In all the embodiments of the invention 7 It will be observed also that the machine in The nut ior to the v l mocha i, the combine ft. e slideblo sh seid leer noted on ir friction member,

on member being one the driving sotueting ssid driving, Jr 9. eidslideble "1 i l s tion member into opersoid driving members, and yielding means to move friction member out of o erstive engagement with the driving mom ers.

2. in a speed mechanism, the combination of a hollow shaft provided with a slot, a slidable shaft in said hollow shaft, a trio'- tion member mounted on the hollow shaft, a key locking the friction member to the slidable shaft and located in the slotof the hollow shaft, driving members mounted on the hollow shaft at the ends of the friction mentber, means for actuating said driving members, means for justing seid slidable'sheft to shift the friction member into operative engagement with one or the other of said driving members, a brake device to operate on said friction member, and yielding mesns to move the friction member out of operative engagement with the. driving members.

3. In a. speed mechanism, the combination of a hollow shaft, a slidable shaft in said hollow shaft, a friction member mounted on the hollow shaft and locked to the slidable shaft, driving members iounted on the hol-' rs a sest e slidsible etie engagement with one or the other of ing t ried by said driving sliaftend tion of a hollow shaft, s slidable shaft in said hollow shaft, a friction member mounted on the hollow shaft and locked to the slidable shsft, driving members mounted on the hollow shaft at the ends of the friction member, said drivi 0 members being provided with a plurality fop ositely disposed and concern trio ears, a p'urality of drivin 'pinions locsteo. between the drivin mem ers each of ssid pinions meshing witi e gear on each driving member, a driving shaft, means for locking said driving shaft toany one of said pinio'ns, means for adjusting said slidable shaft to shift the friction member into operative engagement with one or the other of said driving members.

5. In a s eed mechanism, the combination of a holiow shaft, a slidableshaft in said hollow shaft, a. friction member mounted on the hollow shaft and locked to the sliclable shaft, driving members mounted on the hol- Llowshaft at the ends of the friction member, said driving membei's being provided with o plurality-of 0p ositely disposed end concentrio goers, a ho low and siotted shaft located between said driving members, a plurality of driving inions mounted on said hollow shsft once of said pinions meshing with s.

gear-on each of said members, a driviiy sheft insaid hollow shaft, a key carried by said driving shaft and adapted to be locked to an one of ssid inions, means for adjustfie slidable s iaft to shift the friction member intooperative engagement with one or the other of said driving members, and yielding means to move the friction member out of operative engagement with the .driving members. B. in a-speed mechanism, the combinationzof-a hollow shaft,s slidable shaft in said li'ollowshaft, a friction member mounted on the hollow shaft .and locked to the slidable shaft, driving members mounted on the hollow shaft at the ends of the friction member,

said driving members being provided with a plurality of oppositelydisposed and concentric gears, a hollow and slotted shaft located between the driving members, a lurality of driving pinions mounted on said ollow shaft and meshing with said gears, 21.

driving shaft insaid hollow shaft, a key carrojectin through the slot in the. hollow s aft, sai key being beveled reverselv on its front and rear faces and adapted to be locked toany one of said pinions, and means for adjusting the slidable shaft to shift the friction momher into operative engagement withone or the other of said driving members.

7. In a speed mechanism, the combination of a hollow shaft, a slidable -shaft in seicl l10llow shaft, 8. friction member mounted on the hollow shaft and locked to the slidable shaft, driving members. mounted on the hollow A shaft at the ends of the friction member, said driving members being provided with a plurality of positely disposed and concentric gears, a ho low and slotted shaft located between said driving members, a plurality of driving pinion: mounted on said hollow shaft and meshing with said gears, said pinions being provided with reversely inclined cams on'the1r hubs,.,a"- .i ri\" 1g shaft in said hollow shaft, a key carried by said driving shaft and adapted to be locked to any one of said pin ions, and means for adjusting the slidable shaft to shift the friction member into operative engagement with one or the other of said driving members.

8.- In a speed mechanism, the combination of a hollow shaft, a slidable shaft in said hollow shaft, a friction member mounted on the v hollowshaft and locked to the slidable shaft,

said hollow shaft, a key carried by said driv- 5 ing shaft and adapted-to engage said cams and means for adjusting the slidable shaft to shift the friction member into operative engagernent with one or the other of said drivmg members.

9. In a speed mechanism, the combination I of a hollow shaft, a slidable shaft in said hollow shaftfa friction member mounted on the hollow haft andlocked to the slidable shaft, drivin members mounted on the hollow shaft at the ends of the friction member, said and to be locked to any one of said pinions,

driving members being provided with a plu-' rality of oppositely disposed and concentric gears, a ho tween said driving members, a plurality of driving pinions mounted on said hollow shaft and meshing with said gears, said pinions having their hubs provided with slots to register with the slot in the hollow shaft and having reversely inclined cams between said slots, a driving shaft in said hollow shaft, a key carried by said shaft and projecting through the slot in the hollow shaft, said key" being beveled reversely on its front and rear faces and adapted to be locked to any one of said pinions, and means for adjusting the slidable shaft to shift the friction member .into operative engagement with one or the other of said driving members.

10. In a speed mechanism, the combination of a hollow shaft, a slidable shaft in said hollow shaft, a friction member mounted on the hollow shaft and locked to the slidable shaft, driving members mounted on the hollow sh aft at the ends of the friction member,

said driving members being made in the form of disks and provided with seats ,for the ends of the friction member and having a plurality of concentric series of teeth forming oppositely disposed gears, a plurality of pinions each .meshing with a gear on each driving member, a driving shaft, means for locking said driving shaft to any one of the in ions, means for adjusting the slidable s aft to shift the friction member into operative engagement with one or the other of said driving members and a brake device to operate on said friction member. I v

, FREDERICK H. I-IODGKINS.

Witnesses:

WM. 0. BELT, MJA. Kinnm.

low and slotted shaft located be. 

